Exterminate! The Daleks to return for Doctor Who 50th anniversary special

I'll be back: The Exterminators (aka The Daleks) make a return for the BBC's 50th anniversary Doctor Who special (BBC)

Hide behind your sofas: the Daleks are among the Time Lord's fearsome foes set to make a return for the 50th anniversary special of Doctor Who.

The Daleks, also known as the Mutants, famed for the catchphrase "Exterminate!" and for striking terror into the hearts of Whovians, celebrate their own half century this year,

They will appear in the BBC1 anniversary show set to unite Matt Smith with his predecessor David Tennant in the special on 23 November.

Veteran actor John Hurt will also play another regeneration of the Doctor, who has previously been unseen, and the episode will also see the return of assistant Billie Piper - who played Rose Tyler - and Gavin And Stacey star Joanne Page will also have a role in the show.

The Daleks will also have rivals in the form of other scary sci-fi monsters the Zygons, who last appeared in the series in 1975 when Tom Baker was playing the Doctor.

Writer and executive producer Steven Moffat said: "The Doctor once said that you can judge a man by the quality of his enemies, so it's fitting that for this very special episode, he should be facing the greatest enemies of all."

Filming of the anniversary special took place earlier this year in Cardiff and at several London locations including the Tower of London and in Trafalgar Square.

Teaser pictures released by the BBC show the Daleks surrounded by rubble and flames.